'Expanding our view of the small world through gigapixel imaging technology.'
This blog documents our work on expanding image mosaics (ie. http://gigapan.org) and focus stacking to the macro/micro/and nano scale realms.
The authoritative summary of our work should be on http://smallworldexplorations.com. This blog shows our experiments, instructions, ideas, development, and thoughts (both half and fully baked :-) as we work to change the way people see!

They also cost actual cash money...from an economical $69.75 for this 'Hand Microtome' from The Science Company. Which says that one turn of the base will create a 0.5mm section, and is calibrated to create 10 micron sections, so 1/50th of a turn = 10 microns, a full turn = 500 microns or .5 mm.

Or you can spend $12,445 for a unit which can create, a 0.5 micron section.

But building from the DIY philosophy, you can build a pretty nifty Microtome with with a bit of wax a 1/4" - 20 nut and bolt, and a razor blade! With all credit, like many good DIY ideas, this one comes from an older book. See below for details...

Monday, October 18, 2010

Here is the current status on the MicroGigapan Adapter Kit, listed in priorty order, with my plans for the next steps.

We are meeting at Ames on Thursday. I have requested a visitors badge for Gene from Ted.

Current Status on the MicroGigapan Adapter Kit: I am planning to have a test image out today, Monday the 18th. And then take more tests.

Computers to run process: We've had trouble getting laptops ordered. Need to figure that out. I (Rich) have loan of Gene's old Window's laptop, so I have enough to be able to get software worked out a bit.

Mechanics/Electronics: with Gene's help I have all three stepper motors and the camera responding to his software. I have a little bit of work to screw things back together.

Software: I am able to run Gene's software from my Mac, and from his Windows machine.

Lighting: I made a box to raise the microscope so that a flash can fit underneath and be projected up through the regular microscope optical path. My flash does not have adjustable power, so I am adjusting the intensity by experimenting with filters between the flash and the microscope (by 'filters' right now I am using opaque acyrilic, and sheets of paper). I am triggering the flash with a wireless trigger I have. Bonus: with some foam the box doubles as a protective case for transporting the microscope.

Optics/image quality: I believe that taking out the intermediate 2.5x lens and lowering the camera has made a definite improvement. But it is hard to test because focusing is hard! After the rig is up I am going to take single frame-multi focus images of our test samples, focus stack them, and then see how they compare. I also need to experiment with the distance from the camera to the microscope, which may require fabricating some adapters/repurposing things we have :-) I have an adapter which goes from Canon to T-Mount. There are lots of rings, adapters, tubes, bellows, extensions, etc with T-Mount threads.